Girl Scout brings home gold

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

Creating a respite wall for the Family Resource Center earned Katie Wright the highest award given in Girl Scouts of America. It also provided the 17-year-old Wytheville resident with more than just a sense of accomplishment.
“I was so thrilled to see children out playing in that area,” Wright said. “It made me overwhelmingly glad to see such a bright spot in their lives. It made me feel good to know the women there, too, have someplace to sit and think.”
Her idea for the Gold Award project came from prior association with the center, which provides emergency shelter and assistance for abused women and children. Her Girl Scout Troop 3412, led by her mother, Bonnie Wright, had prepared “care packages” for the residents.
“We included such things as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, combs and other personal care items,” Wright noted. “Many of the women and children have to leave in the middle of the night and don’t have time to take anything with them.”
As time neared for her Gold Award Project, Wright kept turning her attention to the Family Resource Center. She noticed the windows in the center were small and there wasn’t much outdoor space.
Wright pitched an idea for some kind of respite area for the residents to Lee Ogle, community development director for the center. They talked over the possibilities and Wright designed a plan for an 80-foot by 40-foot outdoor area at the center.
“It was to be an area where women could go and plan where they were going in the future,” said the George Wythe High School senior. “It would be a place where the children could play, too.”
During the nearly two-year project, the Family Resource Center received a grant to build a privacy fence around the designated area. The center offered the installation to Wright as part of her Girl Scout project.
A fencing crew was organized by Wright, who recruited Bob and Chris Robertson of Rural Retreat to bring their tractor and posthole digger. The Wytheville Baptist Church Mission Team helped Wright get the fence in place.
Soon, the landscaping effort began. Through Wright’s parents’ solicitation, the Wytheville Moose Lodge, the Lead Mines Ruritan Club, the Wytheville Lions Club and the Wytheville Ladies’ Ruritan Club provided a generous budget for the project.
Christian Newberry, a local pond enthusiast, donated a goldfish pond.
Wright also put her brother, Clayton, a member of Boy Scout Troop 60, to work. They planted over 350 flower bulbs in the respite garden.
“Lowe’s of Wytheville and the Flower House in Rural Retreat gave me a discount on all the perennials and shrubbery we planted in the area,” Wright pointed out.
She also placed large flower barrels, yard art, birdfeeders and trellises in the area. Wright then landscaped the site with mulch.
Her dad, Tony, and members of the GWHS FFA helped build and repair benches and picnic tables.
The respite garden officially opened last fall.
“It was amazing,” Wright said of the finished product. “So many people helped me along the way and I thank them all for their support.”
Ogle added, “We greatly appreciate the work Katie did for our agency. We are delighted to see our clients now using and enjoying this formerly unused space.”
The project, Ogle said, in effect has added outdoor “rooms” to the shelter where children can run and play, clients can enjoy a meal and individuals can get away from the group to be alone.
“This project is one that will benefit the women and children staying in our shelter for many years to come,” Ogle said.
At a Dec. 6, 2009, ceremony at Wytheville Baptist Church, she received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award the organization bestows. Wright was presented the award by Sarah Martin, field coordinator for the Virginia Skyline Girl Scout Council.
According to Girl Scout statistics, only 5 percent of all eligible Girl Scouts actually receive the Gold Award. It requires 30 hours in a leadership role, 40 hours of career experience, completing numerous Interest Project Badges related to the project, earning the Gold 4B’s Challenge Award and contributing at least 65 hours on the project herself.
Wytheville Mayor Trent Crewe presented Wright with a proclamation of Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, as Katie Wright Day in the town.
With 13 years of Girl Scouting experience, Wright has seen her troop’s number dwindling. She and Katie Wagoner are its only members.
“Girl Scouts is such a great program,” Wright said. “It really points you in the right direction value wise.”
Her mom Bonnie Wright said, “It’s two-fold for me. As her troop leader, I’m proud she made it all the way through with her Gold Award. As a parent, I’m extremely proud of her. She has made Mom proud.”
Katie Wright is a member of Wytheville Baptist Church. She also belongs to Higher Ground, the church’s youth group.
At GWHS, Wright is an active member of the Art Club, SADD, FBLA, FFA and the Career Club. She is a member of the Radford Collegiate Ministry.
A part-time job at Lemons’ Jewelry also keeps Wright busy.
With a career goal of teaching, Wright plans to attend either Radford University or Liberty University. She wants to teach on the elementary level or possibly in college.
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).